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Vegetarian Eggplant Meatballs

Vegetarian meatballs might sound like an oxymoron, but one bite of these Eggplant Meatballs and you'll be hooked! These protein-packed, plant-based meatballs taste just like the real deal and are guaranteed to be a hit with vegetarians and carnivores alike.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Author: Byte Sized Nutrition

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 lb eggplant chopped
  • 1/4 cup walnuts heaping
  • 2 garlic cloves pressed or minced
  • 1-15 oz. can Great Northern beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs plus additional 1/2 cup for coating
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan Reggiano freshly grated
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

  • Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Add 1 tsp olive oil to a large nonstick skillet with a lid and heat over medium-high. Once hot, add chopped eggplant, along with 1/4 cup water to skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is tender, about 10-15 minutes.
  • While eggplant is cooking, add walnuts to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground, being careful not to over process. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
  • Once eggplant is cooked, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Transfer to the bowl of the food processor, add garlic and white beans, and pulse several times to combine. Remove and transfer to the bowl with the ground walnuts.
  • Add remaining ingredients (breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, Parmesan Reggiano, egg, salt and pepper) to the bowl and mix to combine.
  • Line a shallow bowl or plate with about 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs. Form eggplant mixture into golf-sized balls and roll in breadcrumbs to coat. Place "meatballs" on prepared baking sheet and spray with additional cooking spray (this will help them to brown).
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes, until firm and browned.
  • Remove from oven, toss with marinara sauce, and serve warm.

Notes

Uncooked meatballs may be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, simply place unbaked meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in freezer for about 1 hour until firm. Transfer eggplant meatballs to an airtight container or large freezer ziplock bag and return to freezer. Meatballs can be baked directly from freezer - follow directions above, but increase bake time to 30-40 minutes (flipping every 10 minutes), until golden browned and crisp.
Recipe makes approximately 24 meatballs.